Shepparton Gold’s Molly Fowler looks for a pass during the North East Association Championships hosted by Shepparton Netball Association on Sunday.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
Grab the Gilbert and pack the car: the local netball hopefuls are off to Melbourne.
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On Sunday the North East Association Championships landed at Shepparton Netball Association, with the grand finalists in each division punching their ticket to the Finals Day, held at the State Netball Centre in Parkville on June 29.
Hundreds of youngsters laced up the runners with hopes of booking a Finals Day berth, and among the winners was a smattering of local sides.
In the 13-and-under division, the Murray Netball League representatives finished pool play in second with a 5-1 ledger, progressing to the grand final where they’d defeat Netball Wodonga by a goal in a 10-9 thriller.
Shepparton Gold’s Ivy Costa-Lowe scans for an option.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
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Shepparton Gold’s Isabel Gordon weighs up her next move.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
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Shepparton Gold’s Grace Sibio and Albury Gold’s Ruby McLaren.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
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Shepparton Gold’s Isabel Gordon throws an arm out to stop Albury Gold’s Baylee Fisher.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
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Shepparton Gold’s Ava Gordon waits for a lead.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
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Albury’s Lizzy O'Connell calls for the ball inside the circle.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
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Shepparton Gold’s Isla Moore stays close to her marker.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
Meanwhile, payback was on the menu for Goulburn Valley League.
The GVL’s 15-and-under outfit had been dealt with the day earlier in an interleague challenge against Ovens and Murray, but made sure to atone for it on Sunday.
Kelly Hill’s charges went through the round-robin stage flawlessly, eventually downing Netball Wodonga 14-11 in the decider to clinch the title.
In a role reversal, the GVL 17-and-under team that’d trumped O&M a day prior fell to its country rival by two goals during pool play and once more in the final, 15-11.
But with a spot at the Finals Day locked in, coach Matt Healey is far from worried.
“The round game, we were in front at half-time and looking pretty good to be honest, then a few things went wrong and it was just enough for them to sneak over the line,” he said.
“It was probably the same way they were feeling about the day before to be honest.
“Saturday’s game was really good, but our focus was all about making it to Melbourne which meant making it to the grand final on Sunday.
“Anything else was just preparation and a bonus for that.”
Healey said he slightly altered his approach in Sunday’s higher stakes, shorter games.
Less game time meant less room for experimentation, yet it was one who flew under the radar during interleague who rose the highest at the association champs.
“Probably the standout who didn’t get any recognition from the day before was Bridie Kelly in goal keeper,” Healey said.
“She had a great day on the Sunday — and I thought she had a good day on Saturday as well — but probably was a little bit overshadowed.
“On Sunday, she stood up and had the most intercepts on the day for us.”
The Goulburn Murray region was well represented across the various grades, with the SNA joined by other north east netball associations as well as the Kyabram district and Picola district netball leagues.
